How Municipal Governments Can Do More with Their Maintenance Budgets

Municipal budget cuts can make communities stretch the funds available in the smartest ways to solve problems and keep things running smoothly. You might be surprised at what can be accomplished cost-effectively and with a little creativity.

When money is tight, local governments face the tough choice of deciding what services will face cuts. Infrastructural maintenance is usually the one of the first to go — but with smart spending, a little can go a long way.

Save on Gravel Road Maintenance

Gravel roads are often the best choice for rural, hard-to-reach areas because they are much less costly and require less specialized equipment to build than their paved counterparts. When it comes to saving on their maintenance, investing in the best construction techniques will ultimately save money in the long run. Less effective methods like simple road watering and certain palliative sprays require many consistent applications, but can result in a loss of aggregate and structural integrity. They also allow for the escape of dangerous PM10 and PM2.5 particles that can be harmful to the community and the environment.

However, turning to the most effective solutions like those offered by Midwest Industrial Supply, Inc., significantly reduces maintenance costs by limiting the need for grading by up to 90%. At the same time, Midwest’s unique Fines Preservation Program prevents damaging potholes and washboarding by locking surface materials in place, strengthening the road. Unlike road watering alone, Midwest’s solutions reduce both lifecycle costs and dust, by 50 and 80%, respectively. And they are tailored to meet the needs of any project. By working with the native soils, the need to haul in outside material is avoided entirely, saving time and money. This means a small budget can have a big impact.